Some of the experiences that were most influential on my educational experience were those with my friends and family. Throughout my education, I have consistently been taught to do my best in school. My parents were always rooting for me in this area -as they were in all areas of my life-, but this was not always true for my friends.
Throughout my earlier educational years, I was never really affected by the pressure of my friends to do poorly or well academically. Up until sixth grade, I had not really made any strong connections with other people. As I entered middle school, I became very good friends with three other girls: Emily, Sabrina, and Kayleigh. This all happened when I became a part of their Girl Scout troop. Throughout middle school, we would hang out all the time, and somehow I would still manage to get all my school work done even with several gymnastics practices each week.
This all changed as we entered ninth grade, we were all excited and nervous for our new classes; possibly with people we did not know and may have had no intentions of becoming friends with. I mean when you have three best friends who needs anyone else right? Wrong. The first few weeks I felt the pressure of being in a new environment and learning a lot of new material. But all was well with my friends and in my fourteen year old mind that was all that mattered.
Throughout the beginning of the school year, my friends and I would get together practically every week having fun as usual. But I was still struggling with to keep up with the workload and as time went on, and I began hanging out with them less and less. By this time I had met and made friends with many people from my classes and I no longer needed my "old" friends, but they were still my "best friends." Later in the school year around November or December, I found that my so-called "best friends" would get together without me, behind my back. This really hurt me because they had been there for me for so long and I felt as though they were just dropping me because I had other priorities. Most of the time, my reasoning for turning down my friends' invitation to hang out was simply because my parents would not let me go.
Now looking back on my freshman year of high school, I can see the correlation between my friendship with those girls and my poor grades. The more I would hang out with them, the worse I would do in school. This was especially prominent in the end because they were pushing me away and I just kept trying to force my way back in. Luckily, throughout the school year, I had built new friendships. These friendships were built on the basis of our education. I found a group of fellow students who supported me in my education and wanted me to do well, as opposed to my old friends who only cared about the fun of high school.
I am so thankful to have had a supportive family through this all too. I was raised in a home where every night, my family would be together by six or so when my father would get home from work. At that time, we would all have dinner and spend time together. After that, we would all split up to do our own things: do homework, watch television, maybe play on the computer. No matter what, every night my parents would ask me if I had done my homework and offer their help.
I can remember many scenarios from all the way back in elementary school where my dad would help me with homework. One night, I needed to finish a book for class the next day and my dad stayed upreading it to me despite the fact that I kept falling asleep. On multiple other occasions, I would cry to my father stating I could not do my homework because I did not know how. Then he would sit with me and watch as I did it all on my own. Later, in high school, on countless occasions, my mother would do the same, staying up late to help me finish a paper that was due the next day.
It is this kind of love and support from my parents that has gotten me through my educational experiences so far and that has continued to help me in college. As I entered the University of Rhode Island this year as a college freshman, my parents have shown me so much support in what I have chosen to do. Initially, when I told my parents I wanted to study early childhood education, my father did not want me to go through with it. He told me that I should work towards a higher paying job. In the end he warmed up to the idea because he knew it was what would make me happywhich is the most important scale to go off in his book. As I continue through my college journey, I expect that I will receive the same love and support of not only my family, but also my friends as I try to make the most out of this new educational experience.
Throughout my earlier educational years, I was never really affected by the pressure of my friends to do poorly or well academically. Up until sixth grade, I had not really made any strong connections with other people. As I entered middle school, I became very good friends with three other girls: Emily, Sabrina, and Kayleigh. This all happened when I became a part of their Girl Scout troop. Throughout middle school, we would hang out all the time, and somehow I would still manage to get all my school work done even with several gymnastics practices each week.
This all changed as we entered ninth grade, we were all excited and nervous for our new classes; possibly with people we did not know and may have had no intentions of becoming friends with. I mean when you have three best friends who needs anyone else right? Wrong. The first few weeks I felt the pressure of being in a new environment and learning a lot of new material. But all was well with my friends and in my fourteen year old mind that was all that mattered.
Throughout the beginning of the school year, my friends and I would get together practically every week having fun as usual. But I was still struggling with to keep up with the workload and as time went on, and I began hanging out with them less and less. By this time I had met and made friends with many people from my classes and I no longer needed my "old" friends, but they were still my "best friends." Later in the school year around November or December, I found that my so-called "best friends" would get together without me, behind my back. This really hurt me because they had been there for me for so long and I felt as though they were just dropping me because I had other priorities. Most of the time, my reasoning for turning down my friends' invitation to hang out was simply because my parents would not let me go.
Now looking back on my freshman year of high school, I can see the correlation between my friendship with those girls and my poor grades. The more I would hang out with them, the worse I would do in school. This was especially prominent in the end because they were pushing me away and I just kept trying to force my way back in. Luckily, throughout the school year, I had built new friendships. These friendships were built on the basis of our education. I found a group of fellow students who supported me in my education and wanted me to do well, as opposed to my old friends who only cared about the fun of high school.
I am so thankful to have had a supportive family through this all too. I was raised in a home where every night, my family would be together by six or so when my father would get home from work. At that time, we would all have dinner and spend time together. After that, we would all split up to do our own things: do homework, watch television, maybe play on the computer. No matter what, every night my parents would ask me if I had done my homework and offer their help.
I can remember many scenarios from all the way back in elementary school where my dad would help me with homework. One night, I needed to finish a book for class the next day and my dad stayed up reading it to me despite the fact that I kept falling asleep. On multiple other occasions, I would cry to my father stating I could not do my homework because I did not know how. Then he would sit with me and watch as I did it all on my own. Later, in high school, on countless occasions, my mother would do the same, staying up late to help me finish a paper that was due the next day.
It is this kind of love and support from my parents that has gotten me through my educational experiences so far and that has continued to help me in college. As I entered the University of Rhode Island this year as a college freshman, my parents have shown me so much support in what I have chosen to do. Initially, when I told my parents I wanted to study early childhood education, my father did not want me to go through with it. He told me that I should work towards a higher paying job. In the end he warmed up to the idea because he knew it was what would make me happy which is the most important scale to go off in his book. As I continue through my college journey, I expect that I will receive the same love and support of not only my family, but also my friends as I try to make the most out of this new educational experience.